FlyPast 02.2018

Sandys “... with the task of
formulating, in the light of present
strategic needs, a defence policy which
will secure a substantial reduction in
expenditure and in manpower, and to
prepare a plan for the re-shaping and
reorganisation of the armed forces in
accordance therewith.”
Sandys received authority “... to
give decisions on all matters of policy
affecting the size, shape, organisation
and disposition of the armed forces,
their equipment and supply, including
defence research and development and
their pay and conditions of service.”
Presented on April 4, 1957, the
White Paper – entitled Defence: The
Outline of Future Policy – began with

a broad review of the shape of things

to come and the vital need to protect

the country’s economic structure. It

said: “It must be frankly recognised

that there is at present no means of

providing adequate protection for

the people of this country against

the consequences of an attack with

nuclear weapons.

“Though, in the event of war, the

fighter aircraft of the RAF would

unquestionably be able to take a heavy

toll of enemy bombers, a proportion

would inevitably get through. Even if

it were only a dozen, they could with

megaton bombs inflict widespread

devastation. This makes it more

than ever clear that the overriding

consideration in all military planning

must be to prevent war rather than to

prepare for it.

“While comprehensive disarmament

remains among the foremost

objectives of British foreign policy,

it is unhappily true that, pending

international agreement, the only

existing safeguard against major

aggression is the power to threaten

retaliation with nuclear weapons.

Since peace so largely depends

upon the deterrent fear of nuclear

retaliation, it is essential that a would-

be aggressor should not be allowed to

think he could readily knock out the

bomber bases in Britain before aircraft

could take off from them.

“The defence of the bomber airfields

is therefore an essential part of the

deterrent and is a feasible task. A

manned fighter force, smaller than at

present but adequate for this limited

Defence: The Outline of Future

Policy, April 4, 1957

Above left

The prototype

Short Seamew

anti-submarine

aircraft, XA209,

fi rst fl ew in

1953. Intended
      for reservist use,
      it was a victim
      of the 1957
      White Paper. By
      1957 two dozen
      AS.1s had been
      completed; they
      never entered
      service.

Left

Bristol

Bloodhound

surface-to-air

missiles at

North Coates,

Lincolnshire.

Designed to

protect the

V-bomber bases,

Bloodhounds

served from 1958

to 1991.

Left

A model of the

Blue Streak

missile at the

1959 Farnborough

show.

February 2018 FLYPAST 93

Sandys “... with the task of

formulating, in the light of present objectives of British foreign policy,

Sandys “... with the task of